Paving the Way to A Better Tomorrow
by AlphaOmega92
Summary: A new force rises in the form of the Merrel Military Corporation. Showing surprising power and stating philanthropist goals, a resistance force battles valiantly against this new entity.


Okay, this is a similar story to my Fallout fanfiction: The Gathering Storm. The Red Lightning Corporate, a military entity (of my own creation) capable of inter-dimensional travel, discovers the Armored Core Universe. Enjoy and review.

* * *

Daniel stared out the window as the shuttle descended from the destroyer's small hangar. Light poured in from the portal as the small craft left the warship's shadow. He scowled at the Earth below him, most of its blue surface obscured by gray clouds of pollution and ash. Daniel looked over to the soldier in the seat next to him.

"Hey Carlos, what's up with the Earth here?" he asked, tapping the man on the shoulder.

Carlos shook a lock of his long black hair from his face and pulled out his PDA, scrolling through an ocean of text.

"Says the atmosphere is heavily polluted. They never tried to combat climate change like we did."

Daniel looked away from the window as they started to enter the atmosphere, the air around the shuttle glowing a dull red.

"So what does Red Storm want us here for?" he asked.

"They've started a corporation under the name of Merrel Technologies," Carlos said "and we're here to protect it."

Carlos put away the PDA and closed his eyes. Daniel turned back toward the window, the gray clouds giving way to the continent of Australia. He felt someone kick his seat.

"Hey Dan, how soon are we deploying?" a voice said.

He turned and eyed the man behind him. His uniform was unkempt, a cocky expression on his face.

"Relax Nathan," he said "we're here for six months."

Nathan sighed resumed playing the video game on his lap. Daniel turned his attention back to the growing landmass below them.

---

Tyson looked out across the sea as the carrier broke through the waves. White foam gathered around her battered hull, bathing him in a fine salty mist. He wiped the sea spray from his eyes and peering through a pair of binoculars, watching the fleet on the horizon with fierce concentration. The mass of ships steamed on, oblivious of his vessel, toward the northern tip of Australia.

"The captain's intel was right." He said, turning his attention to a second fleet rounding the corner of the continent.

He belonged to Server, one of the numerous rebel organizations fighting the League of Corporations. A couple months ago a new corporation, Merrel Technologies, popped up from nowhere and took up root in Oceania, the territory of one of the bigger League member, Global Armaments. Now their armada was bearing down on their headquarters in Australia, ready to wipe the fledgling power from the face of the planet.

"Damn corporations," Tyson said through gritted teeth. "Squabbling like buzzards over road kill."

His brooding was derailed by a loud yell.

"Hey Ty, I found you!"

Tyson sighed as his wingman Kate came bouncing over to him.

"Watcha' doin?" she asked.

I'm watching the battle." Tyson said without turning around. The two fleets had started fighting, the air filling with artillery shells and missile contrails. Kate swiped the binoculars from his hand and trotted way, waving them in the air. He chased after her, lunging for them.

"Hey, give them back. Come on!"

Kate ducked underneath his arms and headed for the door.

"Can't you wait until we get there? The captain's ordering us to launch…"

Tyson punched her in the shoulder lightly and sped past her into the depths of the ship.

"Why didn't you say so, let's go."

---

"The CEO will see you now." The receptionist said.

Daniel and his squad stood as the electric doors slid open. They filed into the room, lining up in front of a long mahogany desk. Daniel looked around the ornate room, which was furnished with expensive leather furniture and a beautifully carved crystal centerpiece. Wide windows showed a vista of the beach below.

Gentlemen, welcome to dimension eighteen…" someone said.

Daniel faced the finely dressed man behind the desk, noticing him for the first time.

"And to Merrel Technologies. I'm Martin Bishop, CEO."

Daniel saluted and introduced himself. His men followed his example.

"Captain Daniel Frost at your service."

"Lieutenant Daylan Price."

"Lieutenant Nathan Brewskies."

"Sir, Commander Icarus Lloyd."

"Lieutenant Carlos Valdez."

"Lieutenant Matt Shoakrolif."

The CEO nodded and knit his fingers together.

"Pleased to have you here. Let me brief you on the situation here."

Bishop pressed a button on his desk, visors sliding down over the windows, shrouding the room in darkness. An image of the planet appeared, its surface split into many zones.

"This planet is led by the League of Corporations, a group of six conglomerates that have divided the globe amongst themselves."

The image onscreen changed to footage of a battle on some distant plain. Tanks rumbled across the steppe, their forms dwarfed by the metal giants that zoomed around them.

"The members of the League are constantly struggling for land and resources, while millions of people within their borders live in poverty."

The video of the conflict faded to Merrel's symbol and their slogan: "Paving the Way to a Better Tomorrow."

"We're here to fix all that." Bishop said. "With your help, Merrel will become the dominant power on this planet, clearing the way for the advent of a new era…"

The CEO was interrupted by a chime, followed by the voice of his receptionist.

"Mr. Bishop, the president of GA is calling."

Bishop nodded and pressed a switch, the visors rising back into the ceiling, flooding the room with light.

"You must excuse me," he said, straightening his tie "But I have a call to take. Our forces are engaging GA's fleet now. Fight well, and give me something to brag about."

Daniel and his men saluted, then hurried from the room.

"Finally we get some action!" Nathan yelled, several of the others echoing his enthusiasm.

Daniel shook his head, but smiled, secretly sharing in his soldier's eagerness.

Martin watched Captain Frost and his men leave, pouring a glass of whiskey from a decanter. He downed the shot and exhaled, turning on the main screen. The image of a shadowy figure filled the wall. The man's face was bathed in darkness, his wrinkled fingers strumming his desk.

"I'm Martin Bishop, CEO of Merrel Technologies. Pleased to meet you Mr. ―"

"This is the President of Global Armaments." The man grunted, reclining in his chair.

Bishop refilled his glass.

"So how can I help you on this fine day?" he asked.

"I assume you've noticed the fleet attacking you?" the man asked, the red glow of a cigar prevailing through the shadow.

"Ah yes…that. I was going to inquire why there was a GA fleet in our waters."

"Oh, it's just a small taskforce to measure your strength. We must know you are strong enough to withstand attack if you are to be entered into the League."

Martin smiled.

"Certainly Mr. President." he said. "Then I will be in touch with you after the battle. Till then."

The shadowy figure nodded shallowly.

"Ciao." He said, terminating the feed.

---

Tyson and Kate were the last to arrive in the briefing room. Captain Geralds stood next to the projector screen, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Glad you could make it." He said, pointing to an overhead map of the battlefield. The two of them took their seats next to Red, Tyson's other wingman.

"What took you guys so long, making out or something?" Red asked.

Tyson punched him in the stomach. Kate stomped on his foot.

"Shut up." The two said in unison, turning toward the briefing.

"…and the GA and Merrel forces have engaged each other in the waters outside the abandoned city of Trunding. We will send Tyson, Kate, and Red to…"

"Wait, what?" Tyson asked, standing up. "How are we supposed to fight two fleets with just the three of us?"

"You guys are just supposed to observe, not engage the fleets." A voice said.

The whole room turned as a woman in a white lab coat strode over to Captain Geralds, handing him a data-slate.

"Thank you, Hilda."

Tyson rolled his eyes. Hilda Thompson was their operator, and the mechanic for their machines. She was a great technician and she had a motherly attitude for her pilots. It was this same attitude that drove Tyson crazy.

"Your NEXTs are ready, you can launch anytime." Hilda said.

"Alright," the Captain said, turning off the projector "you guys be careful out there. Dismissed."

The three pilots stood, saluted, and headed for the hangar.

Tyson stood before his machine, looking over it proudly. The mech was a middle-weight model, about as tall as a three story building. He brought his hand across his NEXT's blue camouflage paint and climbed the ladder into the cockpit. Tyson slid into the pilot's seat and his hands flew over the familiar controls, powering up the metal giant. He had been assigned the NEXT when he had enlisted, a close range model, aptly named Gladius. They had been a team for three years now, and the machine was now like an extension of his own body.

With the system checks completed, Tyson maneuvered his machine out of the hangar onto the carrier's elevator. Hearing two sets of heavy footfalls behind him, he turned, seeing Kate and Red's units stepping out of their respective hangars. Kate's unit, Bengal, was a lightweight machine, painted in a orange tiger –stripe scheme and Red's Taurus, a bulky artillery NEXT, was colored a bright crimson. The two mechs joined his on the elevator and it began to rise, its rusted machinery creaking with their combined weight.

"Ready Ty?" Kate's voice came in over the radio.

"Of course. I haven't flown in ages. It feels good be back in the cockpit." He said.

"I second that." Red chimed in.

The elevator came to a stop on the carrier's flight deck. Tyson moved his machine to the catapult, locking Gladius' feet in the catapult's cradles. Kate and Red took their positions behind him, ready to launch once he was in the air.

"Now you be careful...I'd hate to have anything happen to you guys." Hilda said over the comm.

Before Tyson could get a word out, he was pressed to his seat as the catapult fired, launching his machine into the air.

---

"Captain Frost, we're passing over the drop zone now." The pilot said.

"Roger." Daniel said, finishing the checks to his mobile suit. He sat back in the pilot's seat, bracing himself as the neural receptor plugged into the back slot in his helmet. The electrostatic gel on the tip of the receptor felt cool on the skin of his neck. He grabbed the control rods and felt his hairs stand up as a low electric current coursed through his body. Daniel closed his eyes and set his mind to moving the suit's arm, the receptor picking up on his mental signals and lifting the appropriate limb. He detached the giant from the safety locks as the pilot opened the transport's bay door.

"Squad 1, you ready?" he asked.

"This is Daylan. I'm ready."

"Brewskies here, let's do this."

Daniel nodded as Nathan and Daylan's units plodded up behind his. He turned toward Icarus' unit.

"Lloyd, we'll lauch first, you follow." He said.

"Roger." The commander replied.

Daniel looked out over the ocean below. From here, the warships below looked like gray specks.

"Alright squad 1, let's go."

Daniel stepped out of the plane and fell toward the earth. The battle below grew closer as the altimeter plummeted. When he neared a thousand feet he triggered his chute, the mass of nylon and canvas unfurling behind the metal giant. The suit jerked as its descent slowed, tossing Daniel forward in his seat. The ships below grew steadily as he neared the water. As he passed over an enemy cruiser he detached his parachute, crashing into the ship's bridge. The impact crushed the structure, burying Daniel's machine deep in the ship's hull. He activated his boosters, tearing himself from the devastated bridge and watched as the ship's crew scurried about him like ants. He strafed them with his suit's vulcans, scattering the men with the heavy rounds. Daniel activated his heat sword, the blade glowing red-hot as it erupted from his machine's forearm. He plunged it into the deck, feeling the hull buckle as a string of explosions thundered below. He removed the blade and launched into the air as the flaming vessel sunk.

Landing on another vessel, he checked on the conditions of his men. He spied Lloyd's squad a fair distance away jetting in and out between the enemy fleet, their bazooka's turning the GA ships into funeral pyres. Daniel smiled and turned away. That was where he and Icarus differed. His subordinate loved killing from a distance, Daniel preferred the up close approach. Daylan and Nathan were currently positioned on an aircraft carrier to his right. The two giants strolled on the massive flight deck almost casually, kicking planes into the ocean. A contact warning brought Daniel back to his own battle. Two helicopters made a beeline for his unit, firing a flurry of rockets. He easily side-stepped the projectiles, the rockets tearing up the ship's deck. Daniel silently thanked the hapless pilots and swat them from the air like flies.

---

Tyson zoomed in on the mech as it destroyed a pair of helicopters and resumed gutting the enemy ship.

"Damn, GA's getting its ass kicked." He said. He moved his NEXT from behind the skyscraper, trying to get a better view of the carnage in the bay.

"Yeah, who knew Merrel had power like this!" Red repositioned his unit to the top of a nearby building.

"Hey," Kate said, trying to pull Tyson's machine back into cover. "they're gonna see us. We're just supposed to observe, remember?"

"But I want a good view of the battle." Tyson said.

"Yeah." Red seconded.

Kate let go and stepped back behind the building.

"Boys…" she said.

Tyson watched as another flight of Merrel strike planes soared over the bay, sending several more GA ships to the bottom.

"Man, they're getting pounded. GA's going to have to retreat soon."

Sure enough the GA flagship, listing and on fire, launched the retreat flares. The remaining ships disengaged from the Merrel fleet and limped out to sea. He was so enthralled with the battle he didn't notice the glint of metal in the sky overhead.

* * *

Alright, I hope you enjoyed the first part of Paving the Way to A Better Tomorrow. I'm not sure when I'll be able to work on this, as I have to finish up the Gathering Storm. I a lot of this written, but I have to type it up still. While waiting for my next chapter, feel free to read my pet-piece...the Gathering Storm!


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